Buffalo Bisons baseball – Triple-A affiliate of the Toronto Blue Jays

Big inning sinks Schwinden, Bisons

Chris Schwinden shut out Charlotte for four innings, but a five-run fifth inning, including a right-field grand slam by Jim Gallagher gave the Knights all the offense they needed in a 6-3 win Saturday night at Coca Cola Field.

Schwinden left after six complete innings, allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits with six strikeouts, two walks and a hit batter. Schinden’s record fell to 3-2.

Buffalo’s defense twice victimized Charlotte’s Tyler Flowers for inning-ending double plays. In the first, Flowers flew out to right fielder Bubba Bell before Bell nailed Gallagher with a spot-on throw to third. Flowers also grounded into a double play to short.

However an errant throw for a double play opportunity by second baseman Michael Fisher gave Charlotte their first run in the fifth, setting up Gallagher.

“It was a double-play grounder a couple steps to his left,” manager Tim Teufel said. “If he had to do it all over again he probably would’ve made a good throw but he just hooked it a little bit and got away from (short stop Chin-Lung) Hu and next thing you know it opened up the inning.”

Fisher blamed himself for the loss, but praised Schwinden.

“That definitely was a very untimely thing and I pretty much take full responsibility for this game,” Fisher said. “That was a routine double play and unfortunately I just didn’t make it and Schwinden pitched great. He did.”

Fisher picked up his sixth RBI and fifth in four games, driving in Valentino Pascucci with a double.

“Fish has been swinging well,” Teufel said. “He’s hitting over .400 (.412), which is outstanding for him coming up from AA.”

Pascucci increased his team-leading RBI total to 20 with a sixth-inning single that scored Kirk Nieuwenhuis.

Charlotte starter Freddy Dolsi picked up the win, giving up three runs (all earned) on four hits over six innings. Brian Bruney closed out the ninth, shutting down a rally attempt with two men on base for the save.

Game Notes: Bruney appeared in eight games as a Bison last season…Hu and left fielder Jason Botts made their Bison debuts after joining the team Friday…Bell and Luis Figueroa played their first games at Coca Cola Field after joining the team at the start of its eight-game road trip…Charlotte pitchers hit three Buffalo batters, including pinch hitter Luis Hernandez, who took a ball off the helmet from Bruney.

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